


Lovebug

by whiplashangel (lotusk)



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Fluff, Happy Ending, Lifeguard!Johnny, M/M, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Romance, Slice of Life, Strangers to Lovers, Summer Romance, Walks On The Beach, aka there is no plot, marked mature for making out and language but its more T than M tbh, side lumark, side yutae, this is basically johnjae falling in love thats it thats the plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-30
Updated: 2019-07-30
Packaged: 2020-07-12 05:42:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19941148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lotusk/pseuds/whiplashangel
Summary: When Jaehyun agreed to housesit for his grandparents, he never expected handsome lifeguard Johnny





	Lovebug

**Author's Note:**

> Dear prompter, I fell in love with your prompt instantly and I really wanted to develop it into a slow burn longfic. Unfortunately, real life kind of imploded and I wasn't able to write the story the way I wanted. For that, I am very sorry. I hope you will find it in your heart to like this humble offering in spite of everything.
> 
> Special thanks to the Mods who hosted this wonderful exchange and who were so kind and accommodating when I needed help. 
> 
> I want to send all the hugs to Brenda, Sharon, Marcia or whatever your name is, because I would never have finished this fic without all your encouragement (and nagging). Many thanks also to s, e and the gc bros.
> 
> The title of this fic is taken from the song 'Lovebug' by Jonas Brothers.

  
  
  
  


Jaehyun adjusts the straps of his backpack before opening the car door and stepping out. He can hear seagulls in the distance as he inhales the salt-scented air.

“Just a sec,” the tow-haired, thirtysomething Uber driver says in a voice empty of inflection. He pops the trunk and saunters to the back of the Vios. Wordlessly, he hands over Jaehyun’s kelly green suitcase. 

“Thanks,” Jaehyun nods at the driver, trying his best not to look at the vivid green monstrosity. His mom had given it to him a couple of years back. He hates the way it looks, hates the way it attracts amused stares and snide questions about whether he’d bought it at a St. Patrick’s Day sale. But he loves his mom and the fact that she went to five different stores before settling on this particular suitcase, because it has great functionality and all the best compartments. Jaehyun loves his mom so he can’t bring himself to get rid of it or even to stop using it. 

“Later,” the guy says before climbing into his car. The vehicle backs slowly out of the driveway and then it’s just Jaehyun standing there with his brightly colored suitcase. 

It’s been more than a decade since he’s walked down this driveway. The white stucco bungalow with the teal door is just as pretty as Jaehyun recalls. Grandmother’s coastal garden is a riot of purples, overrun as it is with blooming lavender and hydrangea shrubs. African lilies border the driveway, adding even more splashes of purple. Grandmother has always loved the color purple, Jaehyun thinks with a chuckle. It’s been ten years since he’s actually set foot in this place and yet he knows the name of every single flower in the garden. Grandmother is proud of her flowers and sends Jaehyun photos every spring. She always points out each different species while reminiscing that it’s been a lifetime since little Jaehyun spent hours helping her in the garden. 

He feels a twinge of guilt at that. He really needs to spend more time with Grandmother and Grandfather. When they get back from Korea, he’ll make more effort—especially if he decides to spend more time in Applecross after this summer. It really all depends on how things go over the next six weeks. He takes in the symphony of purple hues in front of him and sighs. He loves this garden but he hopes to God he doesn’t end up killing every single one of Grandmother’s plants while she’s away. _It’s only six weeks, Jung Jaehyun. You can do this. You can refrain from killing every plant in this garden while Grandmother is away_. 

The wheels are so loud as the suitcase rolls over the crushed-stone driveway that he doesn’t hear the approaching footsteps.

“Hi there,” a male voice calls out, startling Jaehyun. 

He turns to see who it is and his eyes eventually land on a tall, broad-shouldered man waving at him from across the lawn of the house next door. Dark hair, gummy smile, and boyish good looks. An alpha who smells of patchouli and sea salt. Dressed as he is in a t-shirt and board shorts, the stranger could have passed for a teenager but Jaehyun suspects he’s closer to his own age. Either way, he’s really cute. And friendly too. Apparently.

“Hey,” Jaehyun says with a reserved smile. 

“You must be the grandson,” the other guy says as walks over to where Jaehyun is. His scent fills Jaehyun’s senses. An alpha. 

“I guess I am.” Jaehyun says, cupping the back of his neck, “and you are?”

“I’m Kim Doyoung,” he says with a friendly smile as he offers Jaehyun his hand. Jaehyun shakes it with a quiet _hello_. 

“I live next-door as you’ve probably figured out. Anyway, your grandmother asked me to check in with you when you got in and to show you around town when you’re up for it. My mom has the spare key to your grandmother’s house too if you ever, like, lock yourself out or anything. Not that I’m saying you’d look like you’d lock yourself out or anything. And moving on! Sorry about that, I have a nervous chatter problem.” 

“I sometimes have a nervous can’t-speak problem so I think we’re square,” Jaehyun chuckles and Doyoung’s smile transforms from a self-conscious smile to an open, delighted one. 

“I’m just glad you don’t think I’m a complete loser! Anyway, I’m just over there,” Doyoung points vaguely at a celadon colored house a little further down the street, “so if you need any help settling in, just holler. Or call or text me. That might be easier on your vocal cords. Also please ignore me—I’m doing that goddamned nervous chatter thing again.” Doyoung looks so annoyed at himself. It’s the cutest thing and Jaehyun has a feeling he’s going to get along great with his new neighbor. 

“We should probably exchange phone numbers,” Jaehyun suggests and they do exactly that—swapping phones and keying in their respective contact details. 

“Are you up to having dinner at my place tonight? My mom said to invite you. I told her you might want to be left alone to unpack _etcetera_ , but she made me promise to ask you anyway. Just know that you’re not obligated to say yes or anything. I mean, when I’ve been traveling all day, the last thing I want is to make small talk with strangers. I’m just assuming you might be like me. But you know, if you don’t mind company and want some good, home-cooked food, just come over at seven, ok?”

“You know what? I’ve been on the move since 6 am today and I really just wanna unpack and crash. Grandmother said she froze a few different jjigaes for me to heat up if I wanted. All I have to do is cook some rice and I’m set.”

“Sounds great. That’ll come in real handy if you can’t cook,” Doyoung says with a thumbs up. 

“I can, though. Cook, I mean. Learned the basics from my mom and grandmother and picked up the rest along the way.”

“But that’s awesome! I cook too. Mostly when I was at college though, because my mom doesn’t like people _messing about_ her kitchen,” he punctuates the last bit with air quotes and the slightest hint of an eye roll. 

“So you’re still at college or nah?” Jaehyun asks, watching him curiously. 

“Just graduated about a month ago. I start work next Monday. So not ready to be an adult, let alone an accountant. How about you?”

“Just graduated too. Graphic design. I’m looking at freelance work—for the meantime, anyway. I’m not really ready for a 9 to 5 kinda existence. Not sure I’ll ever be, to be honest.” Jaehyun blinks in a futile effort to keep the afternoon sun out of his eyes.

“Relatable,” Doyoung groans and Jaehyun smiles in empathy. “Anyway, I’ll let you settle in. If you need help with any heavy lifting, just call. But just so you know, most 70 year-olds are fitter than me so I might be more of a hindrance than a help.” Doyoung gives him a sheepish grin and Jaehyun has to laugh.

“I’m good. Nothing to lift as far as I know. And I’ll take a rain check on dinner. Tell your mom I said thanks, though.”

“Sure thing. You can come over for dinner anytime you feel up to it. My mom always cooks enough to feed three neighborhoods anyway.”

Jaehyun laughs at the blatant exaggeration. “You made that up. I’m sure she only cooks enough for one neighborhood, not three.” 

“ _Three_ ,” Doyoung insists, holding up three fingers to emphasize his point, “I wish I were shitting you, man.”

“Still not buying it,” Jaehyun chuckles. “Anyway, thanks for dropping by, Doyoung. I’ll tell Grandmother you checked on me. You know, so she knows you did what she asked.” Jaehyun’s grandmother is a warm and caring woman but boy, can she nag.

“I have to update her either way but you telling her will definitely add to my street cred,” Doyoung grins and Jaehyun gets a generous view of his teeth and gums. “Anyway, I’ll leave you to your unpacking. Welcome to the neighborhood, Jung Jaehyun,” Doyoung says, waving as he heads down the street. 

“Good to be here,” Jaehyun replies with a wave. And for the second time that afternoon, Jaehyun finds himself standing alone in his driveway. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


The first thing Jaehyun does when he gets inside the cottage is to open up all the windows, letting in the balmy sea breeze and natural light. The afternoon sun streams in, swathing the room in a soft golden glow. Jaehyun stands in front of the tall, pine bookshelf, stroking the spines of the books and reading out the titles in his head. Some of the titles spark pleasant memories. Grandmother used to stock the shelves with books she’d thought grade schooler Jaehyun would like. He’d spent many childhood summer hours lying on his tummy on the floor of this very room, poring over a book his grandmother had bought him. And sometimes…sometimes, he would sit on the porch swing with his knees up, a book balanced on his lap. Long, lazy summer afternoons lost in books. When had he last had a taste of that? With a pang, he realizes how much he misses the summers he’d spent here at the beach house. 

Once he’d started high school, he’d gotten too caught up with friends and summer jobs and he’d just stopped making his annual pilgrimage to Firefly Beach. It didn’t help that his grandparents always came out to visit Jaehyun’s family a few times a year, staying at their house for one to two weeks at a time. Since he still got to see his grandparents every few months, it had been easy to fall out of the habit of spending summers at Firefly Beach. But life had taken a different course over a month ago when Grandfather had told Jaehyun during a video call that he and Grandmother would be spending their summer in South Korea. They would be away for six weeks: visiting old friends and relatives in the home country they had left four decades ago.

“We want to try and see everyone while we’re still healthy and able to travel. Before the whole lot of us old timers kick the bucket, you get me?” Grandfather had announced and Jaehyun had made vague disapproving noises at the lame joke. Grandfather had just given him a mischievous wink before adding, “Our house is going to be empty for six weeks, so if you want to make use of it—“ 

“Come and stay, Jaehyunnie,” Grandmother had chimed in. “Stay for a while. Rest for a bit before you look for a job. It’s been ten years since you saw Firefly Beach. It’s time you came home, child. And make sure you stay for at least a week or two after we get home from Korea. I want to cook all your favorites for you.”

Jaehyun had already been planning to take the summer off somewhere quiet so he could recover from finals brain death and just get away on his own. Now he could do it someplace with miles and miles of white sand and sea. The perfect escape.

“You know I can never resist your cooking, Grandmother,” he had smiled at her. Now, six weeks later, Jaehyun is taking a nostalgic walk through the holiday home of his childhood. His grandparents had only left for Seoul three days ago so the place is still pretty much spotless. He just needs to do a bit of quick dusting and sweeping and then he can unpack and hit the beach. He stands at one of the tall windows in the living room. The sunlight is bouncing off the waves, scattering the surface with specks of gold. Jaehyun smiles as he imagines being surrounded by all that glittering sun-warm water. Soon. He’s missed this place, missed the ocean, missed swimming in it. Jaehyun is ten years late and he can’t fucking wait.

  
  
  
  
  
  


Crisp grains of sand dig into the soles of Johnny’s bare feet and the soft sea breeze is cool against his skin. The moon is casting a pale silvery glow on the surface of the water and it’s quiet. So, so quiet. The only sound is the whispering of the waves as the ocean clings to the shore over and over again. It’s Johnny’s favorite part of the day—when the beach is deserted and it’s just him, the sand, the sea, the stars. Yuta, Taeyong and Mark are a blast as far as roommates go but it’s nice too, to be on his own sometimes. So when Johnny can manage it, he goes for solitary walks along the beach after dinner. 

It’s been five minutes since he left the beach house he shares with his friends and he hasn’t seen a single soul. Just the way he likes it. The beach is overflowing with strangers during the day and it’s his job to make sure all those strangers stay safe so he really treasures his quiet moments here. He can’t really enjoy the beach until evening when his shift is over and he can finally hit the waves with his surfboard—usually with Yuta and Mark in tow because they work the same shifts. The waves had been sweet today. High. He’d gotten in a good hour of surfing and had felt so energized after communing with the waves and the wind. 

He’s still thinking about this evening’s surf session when he hears a deep, male voice say, “I wasn’t expecting to see anyone out here.” He must have been really wrapped up in his thoughts that he hadn’t picked up the scent of another person in the vicinity. He takes a sharp inhale and his senses are filled with an intoxicating mix of saffron and sandalwood and...beta.

On reflex, Johnny greets the stranger with a simple _hey_ . He’s tall. Not as tall as his own six feet but _tall._ And Johnny likes that. He likes it a lot.

“Hi. I’m Jaehyun,” the stranger says with a relaxed kind of smile. Even in the dim light of the moon, Johnny can tell that Jaehyun is handsome with his striking almond-shaped eyes and pretty dimples. Johnny’s always had an unfortunate weakness for dimples. And also, Jaehyun’s scent is so enticing that Johnny can feel himself drowning in it. He shakes his head in a desperate attempt to clear the fog.

“Hi, Jaehyun. I’m Johnny. I um…haven’t seen you around here, have I?”

“Just got here today so no, you haven’t.” 

“Ahhh. I hope you’re enjoying Firefly Beach so far,” Johnny says in as welcoming a tone as he can manage.

Jaehyun gives a self-conscious chuckle. “I didn’t actually have time to come down to the beach till now, to be honest. I caught a redeye this morning, got in around 2 pm and ended up sleeping the whole afternoon away—which was a bad idea because now I’m gonna be up till 3 am or something. Wow. Sorry for the TMI. I don’t usually overshare like this, I promise.”

“Oh God, don’t apologize,” Johnny says hastily. “Anyway, I totally have the same problem when I nap in the afternoon so I don’t. Don’t take naps, I mean. I have to be up by seven for work and be on for ten hours a day so afternoon naps do not work for me—” Johnny lets his sentence trail off before adding with a chuckle, “Ok, now _that_ is oversharing.”

“Damn. Ten-hour workdays sound pretty brutal.” Jaehyun scrunches his nose and Johnny finds the expression ridiculously endearing. 

“I get lots of breaks in between so it’s not as bad as it sounds. Plus, I only have to work four days a week.”

“What do you do? If I’m like, allowed to ask?”

  * “I’m a lifeguard so this is kind of my workplace,” Johnny gestures at the stretch of sand before them.



“I’ve never met a lifeguard before,” Jaehyun says. He’s grinning mischievously and Johnny can’t help wondering if he’s flirting with him. 

“Zero career prospects but it’s a decent summer job and I get to live by the beach for a couple of months. Can’t complain.”

“Sounds nice.”

“Are you here on…vacay?” Johnny asks, voice tentative. On the one hand, he doesn’t want to pry but on the other, he’s hungry to know more about Jaehyun. 

“You could say that. I’m house-sitting for my grandparents.”

“Wait, you’re Junghee Ahjumma’s grandson?”

Jaehyun laughs and it’s a deep rich sound that makes Johnny feel all warm inside. “Man, I’m beginning to think _everyone_ on this beach knows my grandmother.” 

“Well, pretty much everyone who lives on this beach knows each other,” Johnny explains. “Come to think of it, Doyoung mentioned you were arriving today. I just didn’t make the connection.”

“Ah. That must be Doyoung from next-door. I met him today,” Jaehyun smiles. “Did my halmoni ask you and everyone else in Firefly Beach to check up on me too?”

Johnny laughs in surprise. “No, no! It was just Doyoungie, I think. Because he lives next door and all that.”

“Well that’s a relief. It’s gonna be weird as fuck if everyone I meet in the next few days tells me I must be Junghee Ahjumma’s grandson.”

“Nah. You’re good,” Johnny assures him and he kind of wants to kick himself for the lameness of his response. Making conversation with strangers usually comes easily to him but the attractive beta before him seems to have him all tied up in knots. _Come on, Johnny Suh, you can do better than nah, you’re good, for fuck’s sake_ . “So, how long are you staying?” _Wow. 10,000 points for creativity, dude_.

“I don’t know? A few weeks? Months? Depends on how things go,” he says vaguely. “I haven’t been here for like ten years, y’know? I can’t believe it’s been so long since I was last here.” Jaehyun has this wistful, faraway look on his face and Johnny wonders what thoughts are going through his mind right now. He’s tempted to ask but it’s none of his damned business so he tucks his curiosity away. 

“That’s a long time,” Johnny says, not knowing what else to say. 

Jaehyun sighs. “Too long. I shouldn’t have stayed away so long. I’d forgotten how much I love this place.”

“Look, um, are you gonna be out here for a while? Like…you wanna join me? I mean, if you want company. If you don’t, that’s cool too. What I’m trying, and failing very badly to say, is that we could walk together if you want. I mean if you’re planning to walk, that is. Ok, I should probably stop talking now before I embarrass myself further.” Johnny hates how awkward he sounds. His usual confidence seems to have deserted him in the presence of this beautiful stranger, and he’s desperate for it to return ASAP. 

Jaehyun chuckles and it’s that deep, whiskey sound again—the one that tugs at Johnny’s gut. “You seem a little nervous, Johnny,” he says teasingly.

“Do I? That’s probably because I am,” Johnny admits with a self-deprecating laugh.

“Well, don’t be. I don’t bite. Not people I’ve just met, anyway,” Jaehyun says with a mischievous wink. “So, what’s there to do around Firefly Beach these days?” Jaehyun asks as he starts walking again without warning. Taking that as a yes to his invitation to join him, Johnny gathers his thoughts and falls into step with Jaehyun. 

“You can swim, surf and bike during the day. Eat hotdogs and ice-cream by the pier. Hang out in town. You know, all the touristy things.”

“God, I used to love walking on the pier. I was only twelve though, the last time I was out there.” Jaehyun looks up at the night sky, a slightly wistful expression on his face. Johnny’s pretty damned sure he’s never seen anyone this beautiful up close. 

Johnny turns to look at Jaehyun, giving him a shy smile. “Would you…would you like to go out there now?”

“The pier? I’d like that, Johnny. I’d like that a lot.” Jaehyun’s smiling again and Johnny’s heart flutters. Just a touch. He doesn’t buy into all that love at first sight crap—never experienced it, doesn’t believe in it. But for some reason, Jaehyun’s warm smile and husky voice are making him feel a whole plethora of things.Things he’s not ready to put a name to.

  


  
  
  


Johnny shuts the door and leans back against the wood. His thoughts are all over the place so the door feels comfortingly solid in comparison. Had he really just spent more than an hour talking with someone he’d just met? They’d sat together on the far end of the wooden pier Jaehyun had missed so much, legs dangling over the edge as they talked about…God, all kinds of shit. 

They’d talked about why they were spending their summer at Firefly Beach—Johnny had taken the lifeguard job so he could earn some money before starting his new job in August. Meanwhile Jaehyun was here to housesit for his grandparents as well as set up his online career in graphic design. Jaehyun had asked for Johnny’s birthday and then laughed out loud before telling Johnny their birthdays were only five days apart. They’d even talked about dumb, inconsequential things like their favorite colors—cobalt blue for Johnny and white for Jaehyun. 

Jaehyun’s soft smiles had been mesmerizing, even in the dim light of the moon. His hair had looked soft, the sea breeze picking strands of it off his forehead. Johnny wondered if Jaehyun’s hair felt as soft as it looked. It had been dyed a light color but it was too dark to really make out the exact shade. Maybe light brown? Ash blond? He would just have to wait till morning to find out because asking Jaehyun would have been weird.

Forcing himself to shut out further thoughts of Jaehyun, he strolls into the living area of the small, two-bedroom house his friends and him have rented for the summer. Taeyong is curled up on the sofa, head resting in Yuta’s lap as they watch some anime on Netflix. Yuta is absentmindedly playing with Taeyong’s hair and his fingers don’t even stop moving when Taeyong turns to look at Johnny. “Dude, you were out there for ages. Everything okay?”

Letting out a long sigh, Johnny sinks onto the sofa beside them. “I’m not sure, man.”

“Explain,” Taeyong says, eyes narrowing as he sits up. 

“So, I met this guy.” Johnny tries to sound casual but he knows Taeyong can see right through the faked nonchalance. They’ve been best friends since middle school so there isn’t much they can hide from each other. Taeyong isn’t even the most perceptive guy around—Johnny is just _that bad_ at hiding his feelings. 

“And?” Taeyong prompts impatiently. Yuta cracks an indulgent grin at Taeyong’s intensity and pauses the show. When they started dating in their second year at college, Yuta had resented Taeyong’s friendship with Johnny—had resented how much time they spent together, had resented how they could sometimes communicate without words. His natural alpha possessiveness had created some friction but Taeyong was no pushover of an omega; he’d made it clear that he wasn’t giving up his best friend just so his boyfriend could feel better about himself. 

To everyone’s relief, it hadn’t taken Yuta long to realize that Taeyong and Johnny were really nothing more than platonic best friends. He had even discovered that Johnny was actually hella fun to hang out with and got over the jealous boyfriend thing real quick. Now, he just finds it amusing when Taeyong gets all protective over his best friend. 

Johnny leans back with a sigh, crooking his elbows and resting his head on his upturned palms. Then he shuts his eyes before announcing, “I met Junghee Ahjumma’s grandson.”

“Oh—” Taeyong says. Johnny’s eyes may be closed but he can see a vivid mental image of the knowing look on Taeyong’s face.

“That hot, huh?” Yuta teases and Johnny groans, opening his eyes.

“I thought you didn’t believe in love at first sight and all that shit?” Taeyong says skeptically.

“I don’t. And dude, this isn’t love? I literally just met him. This is just…man, I don’t know what this is.” 

Taeyong shakes his head. “Very helpful, John Suh. Very, very helpful. So when are you seeing him again?”

“He’s thinking about finding a part-time job for the summer. I told him our lifeguard roster was full but I could take him around town tomorrow. Maybe he’ll find something that works for him. It’s my day off anyway so...you know, I have the time.”

“You have the time, huh? Smooth—” Yuta smirks. 

“Is he into you?” Taeyong asks and Johnny sighs. His best friend can be alarmingly tenacious when he wants to be.

“I don’t know, Taeyongie. All I can say is we talked about a lot of shit and he agreed to meet up tomorrow. He probably just wants someone to show him around. I’m sure it’s no big deal. Also, you know I’ve never been able to tell if someone is into me until they do something really in-your-face like shake me and say _dude, I’m into you_. Or, they like, hold my hand or kiss me or something.”

“Well, did he do any of those things?”

“Obviously not,” Johnny slumps back into the couch. “He might have touched my shoulder though just before he left. For like, half a sec.”

“Did you get his number?” 

“I did. He asked for my number first, actually.” Johnny’s cheeks warm at the memory of Jaehyun’s smile as he’d asked for his number and full name. There had been something almost flirtatious about that smile.

“Has he used it yet?” Yuta pipes up.

“Yeah,” Johnny nods, smiling as he recalls the text exchange.

“What did you guys talk about?” Taeyong doesn’t normally pry so Johnny doesn’t even know what to make of his behavior tonight.

“None of your business,” Johnny winks. Taeyong frowns at him but drops the issue. “Anyway, I’m just gonna chill in my room. Is Mark home?” Mark is the college junior who shares Johnny’s bunk and his room. He’s also Taeyong’s younger brother and by default, Johnny’s little brother, too.

“He’s out with some kids he met at the beach a few days back. Said he’ll be home late.” Yuta supplies the information as he switches the show back on. 

“Ah. Must be that tall kid Yukhei and his brother Yangyang and sister Yuqi. They’re here for the summer—staying in the red cottage on the far end. Further down from Doyoung’s place. Mark’s been talking about them for days. I think he’s got a big fat crush on the sister,” Johnny says.

“Yeah. I think that’s them,” Yuta nods.

“Anyway, have fun with the new kid tomorrow,” Taeyong says as he settles his head on Yuta’s lap again. 

“I’ll try not to be too lame,” Johnny chuckles as he stops just outside the door to his bedroom.

“But that’s part of your charm,” Taeyong turns to look at him. “Just be yourself, Johnny.” 

“We’ll see,” Johnny mutters under his breath as if he’s actually even capable of being anyone but himself. 

His bedroom is blessedly empty. Mark is energetic and fun to be around but Johnny just wants to be left alone for now, so he can process the events of the past ninety minutes. He lies down on the bottom bunk and shuts his eyes. It only takes a second before his mind is filled with images of Jung Jaehyun: his soft, thick hair and pale skin, the generous curve of his bottom lip. He can hear that warm, whiskey voice and see the lines of his long, slender fingers. But most of all, Johnny recalls Jaehyun’s kind, beautiful eyes. As he lies there in the dark, his heart and mind aching with memories of the boy on the beach, Johnny hopes, for his own sake, that Jaehyun might be a little bit into him too. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


The house is empty and silent and Jaehyun is glad for the rhythmic sound of the distant waves. He’s lying on the queen bed in the spare room of his grandparents’ house, watching as the sheer curtains stir every now and then with the shifting of the night breeze. He could have turned the air-conditioning on but it’s his first night at Firefly Beach, and he’d wanted to feel like the waves were right outside his window. He’d wanted to feel like he was living on the coast again for real.

After a while, though, the sound of the sea just reminds Jaehyun of the walk he’d had along the shore earlier that night. He can’t help but recall the tall, charming lifeguard he’d spent more than an hour talking to. _Johnny_. He’s never liked the name Johnny but he’s more than willing to make an exception for this beta. Jaehyun will overlook the name if it means having access to Johnny’s warm smiles and sweet personality, if it means getting closer to his tantalizing scent of sage and bergamot. 

Sitting on the pier under the stars with a beautiful boy—this is not how he’d expected his first night at Firefly Beach to turn out but Jaehyun isn’t complaining. He can still hear Johnny’s soft chuckles and deep voice, the remembered sounds making his chest feel full and just a little bit achy. 

He couldn’t believe his luck when Johnny had offered to take him around Applecross. He’ll buy him lunch and if things work out, maybe even dinner? He’d told Johnny he was looking for a part-time job but he’s still toying with the idea. He might just focus instead on setting up his online career this summer. That and spending time with his grandparents when they get back from their travels. And if he’s lucky, he might even get to know a certain lifeguard better. He thinks about seeing Johnny in ten hours’ time and smiles involuntarily. He’s just met the guy and he’s already acting like a lovesick fool. Jaehyun can’t even stand how sappy he’s being over this boy he only met hours ago. He falls asleep eventually, his mind in the midst of contemplating what he’s going to wear the next day. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


When Jaehyun opens the door at ten a.m., Johnny is sitting on the porch stoop, scrolling through his cellphone. “You’re here,” Jaehyun says stupidly and Johnny smiles, his eyes lighting up as he gets into standing position. He’s wearing faded blue jeans that cling to his long, lean thighs and a short-sleeved aqua shark print shirt. He looks fucking great and Jaehyun tells himself to calm down because it’s way too early in the morning to be lusting after a virtual stranger. 

“Hi,” Johnny says as he holds his hand up in greeting. And that’s when Jaehyun realizes that the eyes looking up at him aren’t dark brown like he’d assumed they’d be. Instead, Johnny’s eyes are a pretty shade of honey brown. Jaehyun’s heart sinks. Johnny in the semi-darkness had been deeply attractive but Johnny in the daylight is a whole other level of devastating. It’s just as well it had been too dark last night or Jaehyun would have been a complete mess. 

“It’s pink,” Johnny says all of a sudden, a look of wonder on his face. 

“Hmm?” Jaehyun stares at him, puzzled. 

“Your hair. It was too dark to tell last night. And—” Johnny’s voice trails off, his cheeks tinged a pale pink in the soft morning sunlight.

Jaehyun raises a curious eyebrow. “And?” 

“I just wondered, you know...about the color.”

“It’s rose gold. I mean, it’s not that I have anything against the word or the color pink—it’s just that the word pink makes me think of cherry blossoms and cotton candy. All the soft and fluffy things, you know? That’s not really the vibe I wanna give off.”

“Oh, it definitely isn’t,” Johnny blurts out, looking mildly stressed.

“What vibe do I give off?” Jaehyun asks with a smirk. He likes unsettling Johnny and maybe he’s unsettled him just a little bit too much because Johnny abruptly changes the subject.

“So, um are you ready to leave? I was thinking we could ride into town unless you wanna drive? It’s been ten years since you’ve been here so you might need a day or two to get used to where everything is. Applecross isn’t exactly super happening though, so traffic is pretty light. You can totally drive if you want.”

“I’ll let you take charge today,” Jaehyun shrugs as he walks down the porch steps. “So, have you lived in this area all your life?”

“My hometown is about an hour’s drive away so I’ve been coming to Firefly Beach for most of my life. Then my friends and I got this lifeguard gig for the summer and we found a small house to rent. The four of us are sharing that and it’s great.” Johnny speaks with a confident air right up till the moment Jaehyun stops in front of him. Shuffling his feet, Johnny slides his hands into his pockets. 

At five feet eleven, Jaehyun doesn’t have to look up at people too often and having to look up to meet Johnny’s gaze makes his heart flutter. Also, now that they’re standing close enough, the combination of clean soap mixed with Johnny’s own masculine scent is pushing the boundaries of Jaehyun’s self-control. He’s never reacted so strongly to anyone’s scent and Johnny isn’t even an alpha. God help Jaehyun if he’d been one. He’s so tempted to throw caution to the winds—just take one step further into Johnny’s personal space and let their instincts do the rest.

“We should go now,” Johnny says, effectively drawing Jaehyun back from the edge of the cliff. Disappointment bubbles inside him as he lets Johnny lead him to the electric blue Kawasaki Ninja he’d parked at the end of the driveway. They’re halfway there when it finally hits Jaehyun that he’s about to be right up in Johnny’s personal space without any maneuvering on his part. 

Johnny hands him a black helmet before putting his own blue one on. Then Jaehyun watches as Johnny flicks up the kickstand and mounts the bike. Once Johnny’s seated, Jaehyun climbs on, his breath hitching as his thighs graze Johnny’s hips. “Ready?” Johnny asks as he turns the ignition. It’s loud, so fucking loud as the powerful engine roars to life. Jaehyun’s never felt less ready for anything in his life but he yells _yes_ over the din and then Johnny’s shouting _hang on_ as the motorbike shoots out onto the quiet street. Jaehyun slips his arms around Johnny’s waist and rests his cheek against the soft, smooth cotton of Johnny’s shirt. A little too desperately, he inhales Johnny’s scent and tries not to die at how good it feels to lean into Johnny’s hard, warm back as the wind whips at his face. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


“They don’t have green tea,” Jaehyun announces, his bottom lip jutting out in disappointment. Johnny’s twenty-four years old—way too old to be affected by a pout so why does he want to do everything in his power to make it go away?

“Is that your favorite flavor? Green tea? I’m sorry this gelato stand only has basic flavors. I can take you to this place in Koreatown with green tea ice-cream, though.”

“I won’t die if I have the almond cookie gelato,” Jaehyun sighs, “but take me for the green tea ice-cream next time.”

“Next time?” Johnny’s voice is tentative as he eyes Jaehyun.

“Is my company so bad there won’t be a next time?” 

“It’s not!” Johnny protests before admitting a little shyly that he would really like it if there is a next time. 

Jaehyun gives a satisfied nod before paying for his almond cookie and Johnny’s rum and raisin. He had insisted on paying for lunch and ice-cream since Johnny had brought him around all day. Savoring their gelato, they walk a short distance before they come across an empty park bench. The bench is wide but Jaehyun sits close enough to Johnny that their thighs are practically touching. Jaehyun is wearing faded blue jeans like him, but Jaehyun’s have rips high up the thighs that are driving him out of his mind. Johnny tries to convince himself that he has no urge to touch the slivers of skin showing through the torn fabric. None whatsoever. 

Swallowing half a mouthful of rum and raisin, he tells himself that this isn’t as bad as when Jaehyun had been hugging him from behind on the motorbike. Except it is actually worse because the wind isn’t blowing away Jaehyun’s intoxicating scent and the growl of the engine isn’t drowning out the timbre of his warm, velvety voice. His senses are flooded with Jaehyun and Johnny feels like he’s free falling into an abyss he knows he won’t be able to climb out of. 

“Do you have dinner plans?” Jaehyun asks after a few beats of silence.

“Nothing for now. Do you wanna...maybe eat together?” Johnny tries to sound casual but he knows he sounds more nervous than anything and he hates it. He’s never struggled much with this kind of thing. Asking people out, making conversation with strangers—these are things that have always come easily to him. But there’s just something about Jaehyun that makes him self-conscious and unsure of himself. It’s fine when they’re actually talking. They have a lot of things in common and conversation flows easily between them. It’s when he wants to suggest that they do something together or when he tries to say anything about Jaehyun and his appearance that his usual composure fails him. He needs to snap out of this lovestruck teenager bullshit, fuck his life. 

“Could we do that?” Jaehyun pleads, “I’m gonna have to eat at Doyoung’s place eventually but I’m not really ready to be interrogated by a nosey Korean mom. Please, Johnny, you’ll be saving me from the jaws of death.” 

Johnny chuckles. “Doyoung’s mom isn’t that nosey, I swear.”

“She’s a _Korean mom_. There are varying degrees of nosiness, I’ll grant you that. But at the end of the day, all Korean moms are nosey. Admit it, Johnny.” Jaehyun bumps Johnny’s left shoulder with his right one and the contact sets off tingles that spread like wildfire across Johnny’s skin. It would be so easy to just shift a little closer so their shoulders and thighs touch. So easy. But that would be too fast, too soon, right? So Johnny stays exactly where he is.

“Yeah, okay. I can’t argue with that. Korean moms sure do ask a lot of questions,” Johnny grins. 

Jaehyun finishes the last of his gelato and gives a happy sigh. His dimples appear and Johnny wonders what it would be like to trace the indentations with his finger tip. Jaehyun turns to smile at him and he’s hit by the kind of emotional rush he hasn’t experienced since he was a teenager. Johnny’s never believed in love at first sight but he wonders if it feels a bit like what Jaehyun is making him feel. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


Johnny lets himself into his house, latches the door and leans back against it, just like he had the night before. He’s in a similar state of turmoil after having dropped Jaehyun off at his place a few minutes ago. He has a few hours to calm down before he has to face Jaehyun again but he doesn’t know if that will be long enough when his emotions are as turbulent as a tropical storm right now. Johnny knows he has to try though. Somehow. 

He looks around. No sign of Yuta or Taeyong so the couch is all his, at least. Maybe watching something on TV will distract him from constant thoughts of Jung Jaehyun. He’s barely even settled himself on the couch when Mark emerges from the room they share. Taeyong is the brother who tends to be quiet and moody while Mark is usually the one who’s upbeat and brimming over with energy. But today, the beta seems listless and troubled and very unlike himself.

Mark plops down on the couch beside Johnny, sinking heavily onto the mocha-colored fabric. 

“Dude, you okay?” Johnny asks with a small frown. 

“I don’t know. I think so? Hyung, what was it like? The first time you kissed a guy?”

“I was nervous as fuck and there was way too much tongue and spit. But it wasn’t bad as far as first kisses go,” Johnny answers honestly and he can’t help but wonder what kissing Jaehyun for the first time will be like. _If_ he ever even gets the chance to kiss him. He already knows what Jaehyun smells like but he wonders what he tastes like. “But why are you asking about kissing guys, dude? Isn’t it Yuqi you want to kiss?” Johnny asks, eyeing him curiously.

“Well, I definitely _wanted_ to kiss her? But now I’m like—” Mark is practically squirming and he only does that when he’s ashamed or has something to hide. What is the boy up to?

“You’re saying you _wanted_ to kiss her. Wanted as in past tense. What’s going on, Mark?”

“The thing is—” Mark gets the few words out before covering his eyes with his forearm and letting out a muffled groan. 

“Keep going,” Johnny says encouragingly.

“You know I’ve been hanging out with Yukhei, Yangyang and Yuqi, right? They meet me after my shift some days and we hang out together?”

“Yup.”

“Well, today it was just Yukhei because the others had something on in town.”

“But you like Yukhei, right?” Johnny prompts his younger friend but he can already guess where this story is going.

“You could say that,” he gulps. 

“But you liked his sister more. I’m guessing something happened today and now you’re not sure who you like more?”

Mark’s _yes_ comes out in a muffled whine.

“Tell me what happened? And first of all, was Yuqi ever into you?”

Mark shrugs. “I don’t know. I don’t think so? Not that I could tell, anyway. We never really spent any time alone, to be honest. Her brothers were always around.” 

“I think you’d better tell me what happened today. Like, if you’re cool with doing that. You haven’t spoken to Taeyongie about this, have you?”

“Not yet. I haven’t spoken to hyung today. He took off with Yuta hyung after his shift.” Mark sighs, then scrunches his nose. It’s something he’s done since he was little and it hits Johnny how much the boy has grown. He used to come to him for song recs and advice on how to cope with overprotective parents and possessive girlfriends. Now, he needs advice about a boy. How things have changed.

“So, tell me about Yukhei. From the beginning, Mark.”

“The four of us were supposed to go surfing together this afternoon since I had the day off but then Yangyang and Yuqi got invited to this pool party at a friend’s. Yukhei was invited too but he was like, I’m not in the mood to deal with high schoolers. The waves were useless today so we just came back here. No one was home so we had the place to ourselves. Watched a few episodes of _Big Bang Theory_ and somewhere along the way, we fell asleep? And when I woke up I was kinda half lying on Yukhei and—”

“And?”

“Lying on him didn’t feel weird when it probably should have. Anyway, he must have felt me moving because he opened his eyes and suddenly our faces were too close together and…and he just fucking kissed me.” Mark got his words out in a mad rush like he would lose his nerve if he didn’t get them out all at once. 

“Ahhh,” Johnny says in a soft voice. “How was the kiss?”

“I didn’t hate it?” Mark’s hand is over his eyes like he’s so embarrassed to be talking about this with _anyone_ , let alone his older brother’s best friend whom he’s hero worshipped for most of his life.

“You didn’t hate it? Does that mean you liked it?”

“I think...I think I more than liked it,” Mark admits, looking miserable.

“Are you upset that you liked kissing Yukhei? Wait, did you even kiss him back?”

“I did. We kinda kissed for a long time after that.” Mark’s face flushes a violent red.

“Are you upset about that?” Johnny asks, being careful to sound like he wasn’t judging Mark in any way.

“I’m not upset. I’m just confused because I’ve never liked boys before.”

“Maybe they just weren’t the right boy,” Johnny says, ruffling Mark’s hair.

Mark bites his bottom lip thoughtfully. “Maybe.”

“So you like Yukhei then?”

“I like him a lot, hyung. I didn’t even know I did before today but...yeah,” Mark sighs, covering his face with both hands.

“And Yuqi?”

“I was definitely crushing on her but kinda like in a way where I didn’t think she would ever like me back. With Yukhei, it kinda snuck up on me and—” 

“And?”

“I can’t stop thinking about kissing him again, hyung,” Mark whines, nudging his head against Johnny’s chest like he’s done since he was in grade school. 

“I guess you’ll just have to kiss him again, then,” Johnny chuckles as he wraps a comforting arm around Mark’s back. Then he thinks about Jung Jaehyun and what his kisses will taste like. He may not have kissed the boy yet but he already knows with absolute certainty that once he’s kissed Jaehyun, he won’t be able to stop thinking about kissing him again either. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


Johnny takes him to a small, inexpensive Cuban restaurant on Madison Beach called Santiago’s. With Cubaton playing in the background, they sip on ice-cold mojitos and eat delicious papas rellenas while they talk about their plans for, and beyond summer. They move on to lighter topics as they enjoy their mains. Jaehyun had ordered arroz con pollo while Johnny had gone for the ropa viejo and the food is mouthwatering. Too stuffed to order a dessert each, they decide to share a slice of flan cubano. They carve out small chunks of flan with their own, individual forks, but the whole experience feels oddly intimate.

The fifteen-minute ride (to and) back from the restaurant is a challenge since they’re both wearing board shorts and loose, sleeveless tanks. Jaehyun hasn’t been trying very hard to avoid touching Johnny but the brief moments of contact have still made his skin sing with sensation. He wants so much to say this is like any other hookup but he knows on an elemental level that Johnny Suh is about as far from ‘just another hookup’ as it’s possible to get. Johnny parks the motorbike at the end of Jaehyun’s driveway, taking off his helmet as he dismounts. Jaehyun can’t help staring at the fluid movements of his muscles, at how graceful he is despite his height and the length of his limbs. What would it be like to have that agile strength wrapped around his own body? What would it be like to fall asleep in Johnny’s arms?

He really needs to cut off this train of thought before he ends up with a serious hard-on (like he hadn’t been struggling enough with a semi the entire ride home). Jaehyun takes off his helmet and runs his hands through his mussed hair. They’d agreed at the restaurant that they would walk along the beach after dinner. Has it only been twenty-four hours since they’d first met on Firefly Beach? It seems so surreal that they’ve known each other for only a day.

“You ready?” Johnny asks, his features soft in the cool moonlight. 

“Yeah,” Jaehyun smiles as he hands over his helmet. Johnny secures both helmets on the bike and then they’re walking side by side along the path that leads to the beach. 

By some unspoken agreement, they leave their flip flops by the rocks and pad barefoot across the sand. They’ve been walking quietly for a few minutes when their hands brush against each other. They both act as if nothing happened but Jaehyun knows he won’t be able to stop himself from grabbing Johnny’s hand if it happens again. 

“I might not get a job after all,” Jaehyun breaks the silence at last. 

“Oh,” Johnny says in that gentle way he has where he’s not prying but he’s also waiting to see if you want to say more. Jaehyun’s met a lot of self-absorbed guys over the years and it’s so great to meet someone like Johnny who actually seems to give a shit. 

“I was thinking I’d just concentrate on building my portfolio and start looking for online graphic design work after a few weeks of pure vacay.”

“Sounds like a solid plan,” Johnny says with an encouraging smile. 

“I was thinking we could maybe hang out when you have the time. You know, if you feel like it?” Jaehyun shrugs, trying to appear nonchalant because he doesn’t want Johnny to feel pressured or obligated to say _yes_.

“If I feel like it?” Johnny says, eyes widening in disbelief. Then he gives an embarrassed sounding laugh before confessing, “You really don’t want to know how much I would like to hang out with you, Jung Jaehyun.”

“You mean that?” Jaehyun asks and this time he gives in to longing and takes Johnny’s large, warm hand in his own. Johnny looks surprised but then he smiles and there’s something like joy and relief on his face as he grips Jaehyun’s hand tightly.

“I know we just met yesterday but I’ve kind of been a real mess since.”

“I wouldn’t know. You seemed pretty chill for most of today.” Jaehyun moves a little closer to Johnny, not caring at all anymore about holding back his attraction for the other beta. 

“You have no idea how not chill I was for most of today.” Johnny drags a shaky hand through his hair. 

“I lied. I did have _some_ idea,” Jaehyun gives him a mischievous wink and Johnny whines in outrage. “You’re so cute when you’re being shy though. It just made you even more irresistible.”

“I was being lame, you mean?”

“No, Johnny. I meant what I said. You were being shy and it was the sweetest thing.” Jaehyun pushes Johnny’s hair off his forehead like he’s wanted to do all day. Johnny’s breath catches when his fingertips brush against his skin and Jaehyun thinks maybe it’s the perfect time to make his move. 

“Can I kiss you, Johnny Suh?” he whispers as he cups Johnny’s face with his hands.

"I—yes. Yes you can," Johnny's barely formed the words before Jaehyun's mouth is capturing his, his tongue tracing the edge of Johnny's bottom lip. It’s just as plush as he’d imagined and he moans as Johnny’s mouth presses against his, firm and urgent. Jaehyun's hand grips Johnny’s nape as their tongues meet in a lingering, exploratory kiss. Heart racing, Jaehyun pushes closer and Johnny’s fingers caress his jaw as their kiss deepens. 

“Oh God,” Jaehyun moans as Johnny’s teeth tug lightly on his bottom lip, his senses completely overwhelmed by Johnny’s bewitching scent. They exchange more kisses, hot breaths mingling. Then Jaehyun’s mouth slides over the smooth expanse of Johnny’s neck, his tongue licking at salt-tinged skin. Sighing, Jaehyun presses himself further into Johnny's arms and kisses him harder, his right hand cupping Johnny's jaw while the other cradles the back of his head. His head is swimming from the sensory overload and he can feel the tightness coiling in his gut as their hips make contact. Johnny licks the sensitive skin behind Jaehyun’s ear, tugging gently on his lobe with his teeth.Then he’s nuzzling Jaehyun's neck, kissing him where his neck meets his shoulder. Jaehyun holds his breath as he waits for Johnny’s mouth to move further south. But instead, Johnny straightens and holds him close, panting slightly as he leans his forehead against Jaehyun’s.

“What’s wrong?” Jaehyun asks, looking up at him in confusion. 

“I can’t think,” Johnny explains helplessly.

“It’s okay. You really don’t need to think right now, I promise,” Jaehyun says, trying to lighten the atmosphere. He feels a little apprehensive, though, as he places his palm on Johnny’s cheek. He should have been more patient—he shouldn’t have pushed things.

“I just want you to know that I don’t want this to be the only time I get to kiss you.” Johnny’s hands are linked behind Jaehyun’s waist like he never wants to let him go. 

Jaehyun sighs in relief. “I don’t want this to be the last time I get to kiss you either so now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, can we get back to the part where we make out?” 

“I g—” Johnny begins to say but he never gets to finish what he’s saying because Jaehyun reaches up and kisses him. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


Crisp grains of sand dig into the soles of Johnny’s bare feet and the soft sea breeze is cool against his skin. The moon is casting a pale silvery glow on the surface of the water and it’s quiet. So, so quiet. The only sound is the whispering of the waves as the ocean clings to the shore over and over again. Everything on Firefly Beach is much the same as it was the night before but so much is different too. Tonight, Jaehyun’s arm is draped around his waist and Johnny’s arm is draped around Jaehyun’s shoulders as they walk, barefoot, across the sand. It’s too soon to talk about love but they’ve promised to spend the summer together—getting to know each other, kissing each other and…all the other things. And maybe Johnny will be able to convince Jaehyun to stick around after summer ends. He really hopes Jaehyun will stay. But for now, their time together at Firefly Beach has only just begun and Johnny can’t wait. 

**Author's Note:**

> If you made it this far, thank you so much for reading _Lovebug_! I always wanted to write a summer romance so I threw myself at this prompt the moment I saw it. I had a much longer story planned but due to real life circumstances, I wasn’t able to write it. When I have more time, I hope to come back to this and revamp it so the story takes place over a few weeks and Johnny and jaehyun get to fall in love at a less breakneck speed. More stuff happens along the way and there will be a little more focus on the abo aspect. Also! Lucas and mark get a bit of air time too. We’ll see!
> 
> Thanks again for reading this fic and if you liked it, I hope you’ll leave a kudo and/or comment. Come talk to me on [twitter](http://www.twitter.com/glitterlatte) or [curiouscat](https://curiouscat.me/lotusk).


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